


Third Technician

by kronette



Category: Red Dwarf
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-17
Updated: 2012-08-17
Packaged: 2017-11-20 18:38:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/588457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kronette/pseuds/kronette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rimmer is overlooked for promotion again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Third Technician

Rimmer watched as Biloxi whooped and did a funny little dance in the corridor, disgusted with the unsightly display. The sight of the happy, piggy, beady-eyed smeg of a man was making him nauseated, so he turned neatly on his heel and marched the opposite way down the corridor.  He glared at everyone he passed, absolutely certain that every single one of the crew were off to congratulate Biloxi on his promotion to First Technician, B-shift.

He sneered at those exiting the lift, impatiently waiting his turn to enter and return to his quarters. _He_ deserved that promotion, not Biloxi. After all, what had Biloxi done, other than brown nose his way up the chain of command? Two years on this rust bucket, and the smegger had gone from unwashed plebeian to First Technician, while Arnold had been stuck as a Third Technician for five years.

Rimmer had done far, _far_ more than that walking anus boil had even _dreamed_ of accomplishing, yet _he_ was overlooked year after year come promotion time. He'd flaunted his brothers' accomplishments to anyone he happened to talk to, establishing in their minds the undeniable truth that Rimmers were winners. He went out of his way to linger on the Officer's deck, ingratiating himself with offers of assistance, advice, anecdotes and witty repartee. He'd even gone so far as to sneak into Captain Hollister's quarters and place little fact cards about his accomplishments, sure that if the Captain knew of his slights, they would be remedied lickety-split.

For all his efforts, most of the thousand plus crew still had no clue who he was or even what he did. To add insult to injury, the Captain had put him on KP for two weeks for breaking and entering and had refused to hear Arnold's pleas of injustice. Despair was swiftly being drowned out by anger with each subsequent promotion around him. He flexed his tightly clenched jaw, trying to relieve the tension. His hand was curled in a fist, regulation-length nails pressing little white half-moons on his palm as he recalled the latest grievances.  
  
Two of his crewmates on Zed-shift had been transferred to more posh duties, while Qualeed had passed the astro navigation exam and was now an officer. Arnold snorted. As if he'd ever call that bitch, "ma'am." It was a disgrace to the uniform; those who they were letting become officers. Smeg, if he didn't watch out, his new Theben roommate would make First Officer in five years.

Rimmer leaned against the wall of the lift and stared off into nothing, wondering when anything would change.

Two years. That's how long Arnold J Rimmer had to wait until he finally got his promotion to Second Technician. Todhunter had made a subtle dig that his advancement wasn't because of his work record, but rather his length of service. Eight years he'd slaved and sucked up on board _Red Dwarf_ , and _this_ was the thanks he got?

His roommate from Thebe had seemed a slacker those first few months, but then he'd passed one exam after another, getting his pips a full year before Arnold was given this pittance. He was a _Rimmer_ ; his brothers were Space Corps Officers and test pilots and men of respect. Where was _his_ respect?

He continued to watch the Zed-shift technicians be promoted up or out, while he remained in a sort of stasis. His life was eeking by and he was watching it without curiosity, without anger, without anything, really. And then the bombshell happened on his tenth anniversary of service: he was promoted to Zed-shift leader. He'd finally gotten promoted above pond scum, only to _lead_ the pond scum.

Having minions under him greatly improved his mood aboard ship. Rather than sulk that he got all the worst assignments, he got to choose who got the really nasty jobs, the ones that required biohazard suits and decontamination afterward. He took delight in putting his underlings on report for tardiness, lack of discipline, shoddy workmanship, untidy uniforms, and in Lister's case, refusing to wear the regulation uniform. Arnold had threatened to toss that leather bomber jacket in the waste unit dozens of times, but Lister only smiled that stupid, cheeky smile and saluted him with two fingers.

Putting Lister on report was becoming a full time job, but no matter how much or how often he complained to Todhunter and the Captain, nothing was ever done about his newest roommate. They _liked_ the Scouser. They thought he was _funny._ Well, one of these days, the joke would be on them and then they'd see who had the last laugh.

Three million and four years later, Lister was still laughing and Rimmer was still Zed-shift leader, Second Technician.

The End  



End file.
